Bluegrass Martial Arts

Younglings are the first
stage of Jedi training in an ideal case where a force sensitive child is
identified and screened as early as possible. Between the age of 3 to 6 years
old, training can begin. At this stage training is typically more orientated toward
character building and intelligence puzzles.

This stage will produce lifelong personality traits and is
the best time to formulate and model healthy coping behavior patterns. Ideally
healthy relational behaviors are learned before unhealthy patterns can develop.
This is the stage where the child is challenged intellectually with logic
puzzles, but also always encouraged.

Most important lesson for this level of Jedi training is
“its not about you”, or “The world does not revolve around you!” Before any Youngling
will be permitted to move onto the Padawan level they must have embraced this
philosophy of being “other-centered,” and rejecting the impulse to be
self-centered.

The Jedi’s life will be consumed by the oath of servitude.
In all things the Jedi is a servant to others, and any myopic habits will
conflict with the most central and sacred of what it is to be a Jedi.

The use of the lightsaber is introduced but limited to just
the 10 Shii (stances), and the fundamental Sai & Cho angles (offensive
cuts), and how to Cortay (block).

Padawan

The second stage of Jedi
training is the Padawan. Padawans are between the age of 7 and 11 years old. At
this stage the tests of character and intelligence intensify, but the physical
training really begins.

Control is the mantra for the Jedi who is teaching a
Padawan. Control your emotions, control your weapon, or they will control you!
Self-Control must be always present to the Jedi. They cannot loose their
temper; they must not be directed by their impulses and emotions.

A Jedi must be completely in tune with their emotions.
Feelings are a tool and a means of accessing the raw passion of the Force, but
for all that it is, the Force has no conscience. That is the job of the Jedi,
to bring a mind to the source of all passions and give it direction.

If a Jedi is not completely master of his or her own
emotions they will become swept away in the flood of passion that is the Force,
and be directed by the overwhelming chaos of impulse. That is the way of the
Sith, not the Jedi. Thought must direct emotion, they work together but the
mind is in control.

Control is also central in the lightsaber training as well.
This is the stage where the Sai Shiim, downward vertical cut with a controlled
stop, must be mastered. The Padawan will begin dueling and must be able to stop
his cut on command for the safety of his dueling partner.

As a Padawan basic agility, balance, and strength tests must
be passed. The student should be able to lift their own body weight in tasks of
push-ups, and pull-ups. The sense of balance must be good enough for
handstands. They also begin tests of speed and agility running through obstacle
courses and pushing their height and distance with jumping, and other polymeric
drills.

The 10 different forms of lightsaber combat are introduced
at the Padawan level and the Jar, Sequence, Djem, Dulon, and Velocities are
introduced depending on the style they correspond to.

Jedi Initiate

Honor is the theme of the
Jedi Initiate. What honor is, how to behave with honor, and how to treat others
with honor, and most importantly, learning to honor the enemy is the object for
the Initiate.

Honor is important to the Jedi, they have held a respected
reputation since a time before the Old Republic. A Jedi is an ambassador of
that reputation at all times. Initiates will be expected to carry the
reputation well, because with it comes a great degree of trust and authority.

Honor is similar to respect but not identical. Respect is
usually a part of honoring another, as well as obedience. The relationship
dictates how respect and obedience are exchanged. It is not the place of a
child to demand obedience from their parent, but the reverse is acceptable and
often necessary.

Respect may be mutual between an officer and an enlisted
soldier, but it is always the enlisted man who must first salute the officer,
not the other way around.

Honor is valuing the other party as unique and priceless.
How might you treat a priceless collectable, such as an original work of a
famous painter? How would you treat an expensive sports car? Honor is how we
show value, and we can show value to someone even if they don’t deserve it. In
fact often a cold relationship can become warm again with just one party
learning to honor the other.

Even toward an enemy the Jedi are expected to show honor.
This is not someone they would obey, and an enemy is not someone they would
respect what they stand for, but they must still honor the enemy. If they
refuse to grant the enemy honor, and make a habit of it, one will eventually
cross paths with an enemy who will strike down, the Jedi who refuses to honor
the danger the enemy represents.

Initiates are between the ages of 12 and 17. This is the
best time to challenge the student physically. They will be most likely to
master the more athletically challenging techniques at this stage.

Ataru and Juyo acrobatics are best attempted at this age
range. Once an Initiate can successfully execute these advanced tricks they
will be more capable of maintaining these techniques as they age, or be able to
relearn them when they get older.

The full transmittion of Shii Cho is learned by this stage.
The second style of study is selected and cross training begins for both
systems.

Jedi Apprentice

The Apprentice begins at
age range 18 & up. Ideally Jedi training begins as early as possible. This
is to ensure the training can influence and inform the development of the
youngling’s personality and identity. The Universe is a big place, and there
are cases where an older student can begin the path to Jedi even as an adult.
They must be under the direct supervision and instruction of someone at least
the Jedi Rank.

The Jedi could be the same age or even younger than their
Apprentice, but they must more than make up for their age with the experience
they have to offer. The relationship between Jedi and Apprentice works best,
when the Jedi is measurably older, and also the same gender as their
Apprentice. Exceptions can be made, but the dangers of missing the pull of the
Dark Side on the newer Apprentice require anyone taking the responsibility of
taking an Apprentice very seriously.

The Jedi should have already completed the Trials using the
same Lightsaber style as his Apprentice is studying. At least half of the
instructional time should consist of dueling.

Finally the Apprentice assists with instruction of Shii Cho
to the Younglings and Padawans at the academy.

The Trials

The Jedi Trial is a test
that can be challenged once the full transmission of Shii Cho plus another one
of the forms is mastered. The test will involve the full course material of
agility, and Lightsaber fighting skills. All Dulon, Jar, or Djem must be ready
to be tested. This test will be administered by a panel of Jedi, it will not be
the job of the Jedi instructor to test his own Apprentice, the local Jedi
counsel will decide advancement to the Jedi rank.

The Trial will take different forms depending on what other
form the Apprentice has studied. The test is designed to be a benchmark in the
development of the Jedi’s training, a challenge to prepare and work toward, but
not impossible in scope. Once completed the Jedi should be able to confidently
perform their form of study at any point. If the Trials demand too much of the
Apprentice then it become a practice of hypocrisy for the Jedi counsel to
expect from the student what they can no long do themselves.

Jedi

Once the Trials have
competed, the new Jedi is now eligible to serve on the Jedi Master's Council
and serve in deciding the process of promoting new Jedi. Jedi are also
responsible in leading the instruction of Initiates in Shii Cho. Most
importantly the Jedi should be ready to take an Apprentice in the same form of
Lightsaber combat, other than Shii Cho, to begin training for the trials.

To advance to the next stage the Jedi should choose another
form of Lightsaber combat to begin study. To do this the Jedi is free to begin
study with other instructors. It is encouraged the Jedi is still an Apprentice
but not just to one person, but to the whole Jedi counsel.

Jedi Guardian

The Guardian is a Jedi who
has a former Apprentice that has passed the trials, and moved on to become a
Jedi them-self. Once the apprentice is declared a Jedi the advancement of the
teacher from Jedi to Guardian is automatic.

They have a generation
between their level and the Apprentice. This does not mean they are done
teaching, they still take on another Apprentice, but the next one is in the
combat style the Jedi took on studying after becoming a Jedi them-self, not the
system they challenged the trials with.

Jedi Knight

The Honored Jedi Knight is
the head instructor at the Jedi Academy. To be a Knight full knowledge of all
ten Lightsaber combat forms must be mastered. They must be qualified and able
to teach any of the styles. The Knight plus one other Jedi counts as a full
counsel, and with just the two members they can administer the Trials and
promote new Jedi, as long as one of them is a Jedi Knight.

The step from Guardian to
Knight is the longest stage of the Jedi path. There will be years between these
levels. It will take years of study to learn the remaining seven forms of
Lightsaber combat. It is not a process that should be rushed. The
responsibility demanded of the Jedi knight will determine the success or failure
of the whole institution of the Jedi Academy.

The Guardian who has
mastered each of the ten forms of Lightsaber combat must be promoted to the
level of Jedi Knight by vote from a Jedi Master. No test is required, just the
word of the Jedi Master will do. Whatever confidence is needed from the Jedi
Master to declare a Guardian to be a Knight is all that is necessary. This can
take the form of a test, but it does not have to necessarily.

In the event there is any
dissension or difference of opinion on counsel matters, the Knight can have the
casting vote. If there are two Knights at an academy, one should branch out to
launch and direct a new academy location, to encourage the advancement of the
ways of the Force.

Jedi Master

To reach the level of Jedi
master it will depend on the quality of instruction you have. You must have a
former Apprentice that has moved on as a Jedi Knight to begin their own Jedi
Academy in order to be a qualified Jedi Master. Like advancement to Guardian,
the Jedi Master promotion is automatic when another Jedi master observes not
you, but one of your former apprentices, currently a Guardian, to be a Jedi
Knight. The new Knight does not have to have yet launched a new Jedi Academy.
Once a Jedi Knight has raised up another Knight, by the confidence of a third
party Jedi Master, they are automatically a Jedi Master themselves.

The Jedi Master is a one
man Jedi counsel. Alone they can administer trials and promote new generations
of Jedi with no witness if necessary. This should only be done in total exile,
away from any local Jedi Academy